The beginning of the 20th century was marked with war and economic depression, and in response artists began to express their discontent with the social and political environment that surrounded them. From World War I to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, this exhibition explores how artists have addressed political, social, and civil rights issues through their art. Reaction: The Art of Social Commentary is drawn from the FIA’s permanent collection and features graphic works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Catlett, Ben Shahn, George Grosz, Mario Zapata Vasquez, and many more.

Image Credit: Paul Peter Piech, American, 1920–1996, Star Wars Terrorism, 1985, Linocut on paper, 28 x 17 7/16 inches. Gift of Mr. Jack B. Pierson, FIA 1986.12.2